WEBVTT S ALLIE WARESHOWS US, THIS DEVICE ISBECOMING MORE ACCESIBLE TOPATIENTS IN THE METRO.REPORTER: THE NEURO STAR IS THEONLY MACHINE OF ITS KIND INMISSISSIPPI.DR. PARVEEN KUMAR BROUGHT IT INFIVE YEARS AGO TO TREATDEPRESSION PATIENTS.>> BASICALLY IT'S A COIL WHICHCREATES ELECTROMAGNETIC FIELDAROUND CERTAIN PART OF THEBRAIN.REPORTER: PATIENTS WHO HAVE BEENON FOUR OR MORE ANTIDEPRESSANTSWITHOUT RESULTS ARE GOODCANDIDATES FOR THE TREATMENT.DARLENE PRICE HEARD ABOUT THEDEVICE THROUGH HER DAUGHTER WHOIS A MEDICAL STUDENT.>> I'VE HAD DEPRESSION PROBABLYFOR HALF OF MY ADULT LIFE.REPORTER: THE MACHINE WORKS ONTHIS PART OF THE BRAIN, THEPREFRONTAL CORTEX.IT CONTROLS WHAT WE FEEL,PERSONALITY, EMOTIONS, ANDJUDGMENT.>> THE FIRST THING I NOTICED WASMY SLEEP IMPROVED GREATLY WITHTHIS TREATMENT.WITHIN TWO OR THREE WEEKS, ISTARTED HAVING MORE ENERGY.REPORTER: PATIENTS FROM ACROSSTHE STATE VISIT DR. KUMAR TO GETTHE TREATMENT INCLUDING JACKIEBURNS WHO DROVE FROM OXFORD.>> IT REMINDED ME OF A BATTERYBEING CHARGED.>> ABOUT 75% OF THE PATIENTS, ITWORKS.50% OF THE PATIENTS DON'T EVENNEED ANY MEDICATION, OR NEVERNEED TREATMENT AGAIN.>> BEFORE THIS, HOW MANYMEDICATIONS ARE YOU TAKING?>> I WAS TAKING ANXIETY,DEPRESSION, INSOMNIA MEDICATIONS, AND STILL WASN'T FEELING GOOD.REPORTER: RECENTLY MOREINSURANCE COMPANIES HAVE AGREEDTO COVER THE TREATMENT, WHICH DRKUMAR SAYS IS CHANGING THE FACEOF DEPRESSION.>> THAT SAVED MY LIFE.IT REALLY DID.THAT IS NOT A LIFE, LIVING IN AHOUSE, LOOKING OUT A WINDOW.

A breakthrough in medical devices is helping people who struggle with depression, and it’s becoming more accessible to patients in metro Jackson.

NeuroStar is the only machine of its kind in Mississippi and was brought in five years ago by Dr. Parveen Kumar, a board-certified psychiatrist, to treat depression patients.

Advertisement

“Basically, it’s a coil that creates a magnetic field around certain parts of the brain,” Kumar said.

Patients who have been on four or more antidepressant medications without results are good candidates for the treatment, Kumar said. Darlene Price heard about the device through her daughter, who is a medical student.

“I’ve struggled with depression for half my life,” Price said.

The machine works on the prefrontal cortex, which controls how one feels, including personality, emotions and judgment.

“The first think I noticed was my sleep increased greatly, and after a few weeks the depression subsided,” Price said.

Patients from across the state visit Kumar’s office in Ridgeland, including Jackie Burns, who drove from Oxford.

“It literally reminded me of a battery charging. You could feel it getting better and better,” Burns said.